The Parkinson’s Food Myths: What Should We Actually Eat?
Following our previous discussions on nutrition, we are delighted to welcome back Dr Tanya Denne for the next instalment in our Food as Medicine series. In a world saturated with conflicting headlines, wellness trends, and online advice, deciding what to put on your plate can quickly feel overwhelming. This session is designed to clear through the noise, replace anxiety with clarity, and separate genuine clinical evidence from popular online trends.
We will begin by tackling the everyday foods that cause the most confusion. Dr Denne will explore the real story behind dairy, including its often misunderstood interaction with levodopa timing and whether it truly needs to be cut out entirely. We will look closely at alcohol, addressing moderate drinking and the oft-promoted benefits of red wine and resveratrol, alongside gluten and whether an elimination diet holds any genuine therapeutic value. From there, we will unpack carbohydrates, looking at how sugars influence inflammation, blood glucose stability, and daily energy levels, before concluding the first part with a pragmatic look at ultra-processed foods and where to realistically draw the line.
The second part of our discussion shifts to the popular dietary patterns frequently discussed within the community. Rather than getting bogged down in rigid rules, we will ask a direct question for each approach: should someone with Parkinson's consider this diet? We will examine plant-dominant eating, ketogenic and low-carbohydrate approaches, and time-restricted fasting. For each pattern, Dr Denne will outline what current scientific research actually supports, what shows promise, where the potential risks lie, and who ought to proceed with caution.
This session offers a refreshing, evidence-led look at practical nutrition, giving you the facts and confidence to make informed choices that best support your daily wellbeing.
About the speaker:
We are honoured to be joined by Dr Tanya Denne, a distinguished Naturopathic Doctor and researcher. Dr Denne is a leading advocate for "Personalised Medicine," a philosophy that treats the whole person rather than just a set of symptoms. Her evidence-based approach views nutrition as a foundational pillar of care, bridging the gap between traditional neurology and complementary disciplines. With her extensive research background, including her work on Mucuna pruriens, Dr Denne empowers people to move from being passive recipients of care to proactive partners in their own health journey.